Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz has resigned from the emergency government, highlighting growing rifts regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s post-conflict strategy for Gaza.
During a news conference in Tel Aviv on Sunday, Mr. Gantz expressed that his decision was made with a “heavy heart.”
“Unfortunately, Mr Netanyahu is preventing us from approaching true victory, which is the justification for the painful ongoing crisis,” he said.
Mr. Gantz, a political rival of Prime Minister Netanyahu and a former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), leads the centrist National Unity party. Until October 11, 2023, his party was in opposition but joined an emergency government with Mr. Netanyahu following the war triggered by Hamas’s attacks on October 7. National Unity holds five positions in the emergency government.
Current opposition leader Yair Lapid supported Mr. Gantz’s decision, calling it “important and right” on social media. Following the announcement, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded a place in the war cabinet.
Mr. Ben-Gvir, part of a right-wing coalition, has threatened to leave and destabilize the government if Israel accepts a ceasefire proposal from US President Joe Biden.
Mr. Gantz’s presence in the government was considered a counterbalance to the far-right members of Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition.
Last month, Mr. Gantz set a deadline of June 8 for Mr. Netanyahu to outline how Israel would achieve its six “strategic goals,” including ending Hamas rule in Gaza and establishing a multinational civilian administration for the territory.
The prime minister dismissed these remarks as “washed-up words” that would spell “defeat for Israel.”
A retired army general and frequent critic of Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Gantz was a member of Israel’s key decision-making “war cabinet,” alongside the prime minister and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
During the news conference, Mr. Gantz announced that he was not only personally resigning from the government but also withdrawing from the National Unity party, which he chairs.
This move will not topple the Israeli government, as Mr. Netanyahu still maintains a comfortable majority of 64 in the 120-seat Knesset. However, it further isolates the prime minister and highlights the deep political divisions regarding his handling of the war.
The resignation also comes a day before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken begins a three-day trip to the region, visiting Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar to press for a ceasefire agreement.
In a separate development on Sunday, Israel’s army announced the resignation of a senior commander who led the IDF’s Gaza division due to his failure to prevent the October 7 attacks.
Brigadier General Avi Rosenfeld is the first IDF combat commander to step down since the attacks.